22 Aug 2018

Niue recycling plant to be ready at end of 2019

7:44 pm on 22 August 2018

A plant to recycle waste on Niue is expected to be operating by the end of next year.

Bales of recycling

Bales of recycling Photo: (Photo by Bas Emmen on Unsplash)

Hayden Talagi of Niue's Department of Environment told the Clean Pacific Roundtable in Suva, grounds were cleared last week for construction to start.

Mr Talagi said the collection and segregation of recyclable items began at the start of the year so processing could start as soon as the facility was ready.

Recycled imported goods are to be exported offshore as part of Niue's waste management plan.

The Niue Recycling Facility will start with glass and plastic bottles before expanding to other materials like aluminium cans, paper and electronic waste.

Niue had already implementing several recycling activities, Mr Talagi said.

Glass is crushed and used to fill potholes and a shredding machine for green waste is being trialled.

Single-use plastic bags are also being phased out over the next year.